Wiredrawing machine



May 2, 1933. v. WEIL ET AL- I 1,907,311

WIREDRAWING MACHINE Filed Nov. 12, 1931 Gum/MA Patented May '2, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WIREDRAWING MACHINE Application filed November 12, 1931, Serial No. 574,658, and in Germany July 19, 1930.

, This invention relates to improvements'in wire drawing machines generally, and more particularly to a multi-wire drawing type thereof, wherein a plurality of drawing sheaves are grou ed about a common center, with the object t at a single drawing drum is constituted thereby, w1th its circumference divided into a plurality of bearing surfaces to reduce the drawing angle of the wires passing about the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drum of this character, wherein its surface is either provided with longitudinal ribs or grooves, or it is composed of a plurality of cylindrical, polygonal, or conical rods or tubes, which are independently demountable for replacement purposes and similarly adjustable for renewing the hear ing surfaces, as required.

A further object of the invention resides in constructing the machine in a manner that its operating parts may be subjected to a cooling medium, in order to reduce destructive friction heating effects to a minimum and thereby prolong the life of such parts.

With the foregoing and other equally imrtant objects and advanta es in view, the

mvention resides inthe certain new and useful combination, construction and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is avertical transverse section,

Figure 2 is a vertical lon itudinal section,

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a modified form of drawing sheave,

Figure 4 is a similar view of a modified form of drawing sheave,

Figure 5 is a side elevation, artly in section, of one of the drawin s eaves as in Figure 1, but modified to s ow alternately arranged and reversely tapered bearing surfaces therefor,

Figure 6is a side elevation, partly in section, of a stepped form of drawing sheave,

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of the improved machine, and,

Figure 8 is a view similar to that of Figure 7, but of an old type of wire drawingmachine, by way of comparison.

Referring to the drawing, wherein like characters of reference designate corres ondinggparts m the several views thereo and embodiment of the invention, as is exemplified therein, has each drawing sheave-made up of a plurality of bearing surfaces havin the form of cylindrical rods or tubes 1 which are arranged in circular series and centered about a shaft 2 and in a manner as to be readily removed, replaced 'and adjusted.

The rod or tube members 1 are for .thls pur-.

pose held at their ends on pins 11 which are secured to flanges 9 and which may taper toward their free ends. The members 1 can be removed by a loosening of the nuts 10, which hold the flanges 9 in osition, and by removal of a plate 14 where y the different sheaves are supported. The members 1 can more particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 7, the

also, after a loosening of the nuts 10, each structure can easily be dismounted after the removal of a. bearing bracket 16 and a supporting plate 17.

The employment of conical members 1- has the advantage that the wires to be drawn will be caused to travel to and fro in a horizontal direction as well as in the vertical direction, determined by the'suc'cession of isolated bearing surfaces, and the wire will thus describe substantially the surface of a cone, the apex of which is situated in the die.. Thus the die will be subjected to a uniform pull. The same effect may be obtained if the die holder is subjected to a reciprocating movement in its own plane 'in a horizontal direction.

The machine is particularly adapted. for the drawing of fine .wire, an two or more sheaves are employed which may be geared together and to a driving element by means of gears 5 and'6. Figure 1 shows an arrangement with five sheaves arranged in 5 circular series about a common center, and Figure 7 an arrangement with three ofthe same. In either instance, a delivery reel 8' and a take-up reel 7 is provided, with dies 3 arranged between two of the upper 10 sheaves.

In any case, the sum of all the bearing surfaces is smaller than the continuous bearing surface of a single massive drawing drum, so that the detrimental circumferential friction will be reduced to a minimum. By way of demonstrating the advantage of the present novel arrangement, it is compared in Figures 7 and 8 with an old arrangement, the Greek letters indicating the different angles.

\Vhen tubes are employed as bearing surfaces, they may conveniently be utilized as conduits for the circulation of a cooling medium therethrough. The machine mayalso have the protection of a hood 15 which covers the dies 3, as well as the sheave-drum structure, and allows all to be uniformly swept with the cooling medium admitted through an inlet 18.

The hood 15 may be provided with glasscovered inspection apertures, as will be well understood.

This multi-surfaced bearing for the wires to be drawn may be obtained by providing continuous drum surfaces with grooves 19, as shown in Figure 3, or with ribs. 20,as shown in Figure 4.

Practical tests have shown that the increased length of the wire produced by the reduction of wire diameter, will be satisfactorily taken up by the machine. This is the case even when very hard material is used, for instance chrome-nickel, and the like, and when the diameter is reduced in 4 the first die n to twenty per cent. Also, and if desire a drawing sheave may be made to a stepped construction, as is shown in Figure 6.

Without further description, it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilledin the art, and it will of course be understood that various changes in form, proportion, and" minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or its scope as claimed. We claim:

1. In a wire drawing machine, a driving shaft, a plurality of drawing sheaves arranged in circular series about the axis of the shaft, and means driven by the shaft for imparting simultaneous rotary motion to said sheaves, said sheaves each being formed to provide a plurality of circularly spaced longitudinally extending bearing surfaces, whereby the wire is drawn by each of the sheaves by contact with a lesser number of the bearing surfaces than the total numher on each sheave and the wire travels in a straight line from one bearing surface to Y the next following.

2. The machine as set forth in claim 1, wherei: the said bearin surfaces. of each sheave are angularly adJustable to cause a uniform distribution of wear thereon.

3. The machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the said bearing surfaces of each sheave are fixed and arranged to be independently renewed when worn and to be similarly adjusted to cause a substantially uniform distribution of wear thereover.

4. The'machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the said bearing surfaces are in the form jof a plurality of spaced cylindrical members arranged in circular series about the axis of each sheave.

5. The machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the said bearing surfaces are in the form of spaced tubular members arranged in circular series about the axis of each sheave.

6. The machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the said bearing surfaces are in the form of spaced tapered tubular members arranged in circular series about the axis of each sheave and in alternately reversed end for end position one relatively to the other.

7. The machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein drawin dies are arranged for cooperation with the drum and boththe dies and drum are enclosed within a hood through which a cooling medium is to be circulated.

' 8. The machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the said bearing surfaces are in the form of hollow members and the drum structure is enclosed within a hood whereby a cooling medium may be circulated therethrough;

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

VALENTIN WEIL. HERMANN GUTMANN. 

